Yes the bitter cold, deep snow, and ice have been taking its toll.The blizzard conditions saw something like 40" of snow, and -18 degrees. This type of weather is unusual for the area. Cattle are "open penned", with huge shed roofs, but able to move about freely...part of the issue was that water troughs froze, despite efforts to use heat and blowtorches to keep them open. Hay was blown away, or covered and frozen in the ice and snow.This is in stark contrast to the horrific penned conditions that organizations like PETA rail against, and WA farmers do not practice, as more humane.

The dairy farmers spent countless hours trying to help, but it did little good.